P hale



July 31, 1962 M. P. HALE 3,046,942

AUTOMATIC LIVESTOCK INSECTICIDE APPLICATOR Filed Sept. 29, 1959INVENTOR. MERvi'N P HALE.

3,M6,94Z Patented July 31, 1962 3,046,942 AUTOMATIC LIVESTOCK WSEQTICHDEAIPLICATOR Mervin P. Hale, R1). 2, hdansrield, Ohio Filed Sept. 29,1959, Ser. No. 843,107 6 Claims. ('81. 119-157) The invention relatesgenerally to an automatic insecticide applicator for dispensing liquidor powder insecticides on animals.

Prior devices for the purpose of dispensing liquid insecticides haveonly provided costly, complicated mechanisms for automaticallydispensing insecticides on livestock and do not conform to the body ofan animal sufficiently to obtain a large rubbing area. Thus, they do notmeet one of the requirements necessary to provide an effective device.Prior devices for purposes of dispensing dry powder insecticides haveproven costly to develop, and consequently there are no devicesavailable to meet the requirement.

The improved device of the present invention is small and compact, andis adaptable to dispense either liquid or dry powder insecticides, andprovides a reservoir and an automatic applicator as one unit. It isruggedly constructed and provides a safety feature preventing breakagewhen livestock exert a vigorous rubbing action thereagainst. All ofthese desirable objects are provided within the space formerly requiredby the old dip and soak types of livestock oilers.

One object of the invention is to provide a construction utilizing thetension of a spring to permit yielding of the applicator to the rubbingactions of various sized livestock and conforming to the external partsof said livestock.

Another object is to provide a liquid and dust impervious flexiblereservoir, such as plastic or rubber, which is adapted to hold anddispense insecticides of liquid or powder through a predetermined numberof bleeder holes predeterminately spaced about the reservoir to a clothtube or other tubular fabric which encases said reservoir; the clothtube or tubular fabric being of such porosity as to retain and dispenseliquids through capillary action and powders through a screening action.

Another object of my invention is to provide novel clamping ring andsealing plug constructions which are respectively tapered to sealinglyinterfit for a sliding wedge fit at the end openings of the tubularfabric and reservoir, and securely grip same, providing an annularreinforced opening through which the liquid or dust insecticides may beadmitted into the reservoir and a novel means to'secure one end of theapplicator to a support.

A further object is to provide a mounting device of cylindrical tubes tosealingly retain and hold at least one end portion, if not both, of thetubular fabric, the cylindrical tubes being slidably disposed inparallel relation to each other on bolt members, such as eyebolts, whichare inserted in holes drilled through said cylindrical tubes. Theeyebolts provide a means for attaching a pin with retainer keys; the pinfurther providing a means for attaching a spring or elastic material inorder to permit the applicator to more effectively contour to thelivestocks body, thus alfording a greaterrubbing area.

Additional means such as a safety stop of rope is provided forconnecting the applicator between two preferably-vertical posts orshafts at any predetermined angle, preferably an inclined angle.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention FIG. 1 is aperspective view of the improved device as positioned on the mountingposts for use.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the lower holding clamp on line22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged inverted sectional view as on line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of a modification.

The extreme compactness and simplicity of the novel device are apparentfrom the fact that its parts comprise one or two clamp mounting means, aspring; absorbent cloth tube means; a flexible reservoir; and two ropemounting attachments. In FIG. 1 the holding clamp at the lower end maybe cylindrical or tubular steel or other suitable material. Theattachment at the upper end of the applicator may be made of steel orother suitable rigid material. The spring 24 is preferably steelcylindrically wound or conventional design of another suitable material.The cloth tubes 4 and 5 are preferably burlap or other suitableabsorbent cloth or material adaptable to both liquids and a dry powder.The reservoir 6 is preferably an ordinary elongated fiexible Waterprooftube of plastic or other suitable material having one end 32 sealed andan open mouth 12 with hole 26 and hole 27, as shown in FIG. 4, locatedpreferably toward the open end 12 of the tube in number as determined bythe liquid or powder requirements which vary with the number of cattleusing the applicator. As the livestock walk under the device the clothtubes 4 and 5 and the flexible reservoir 6 are lifted from their annularposition, as shown in FIG. 1, to a nearly horizontal position. Theinsecticide inside the reservoir 6 moves either by gravity, inertia oractivated air when the livestock compress the device as they walk underit to rub, which compressing collapses the cloth tubes 4 and 5 andreservoir 6 and causes the insecticide to move to the top part of thedevice near the clamp shown in FIG. 1 to the bleeder holes 26 and 27 inFIG. 4 whereby the insecticide is permitted to issue therefrom intocommunication 'with'said cloth tubes 4 and 5 for further communicationand transfer to the livestock external parts. The mounting attachments25 and 34 are preferably rope; however, other suitable materials may beused. The external conventional vertical shafts 40 and 41 in FIG. 1 andand 141 in FIG. 5 may be ordinary wood posts mounted in the ground.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show the sealing plug 13 which has an outer annularsurface tapered convergingly on the order of 1 to 12. Obviously thediameter of the plug 13 can be varied according to the size of theclamping tubes 4 and 5 and reservoir 6 which surround it, and themounting sealing plug is preferably sized to fit standard plastictubing. The mounting sealing plug 13 is held in place by the rope 34through the mounting eye 15 while the spring 24 exerts pressure in theopposite direction. A filler hole 16 is made in the mounting sealingplug 13 and is provided with a sealing stopper 35 to allow easy accessfor filling the flexible reservoir 6 without disassembling through theannular reinforced filler hole 16. The clamping ring 14 interior surface33 is tapered to match the outer periphery surface 36 of mountingsealing plug 13 to make a sliding wedge therewith. By forcing themounting sealing plug 13 inwardly on the converging taper of clampingring 14, which taper converges with respect to the mouth of the snugcloth tube 4 and cloth tube 5 and reservoir 6 between the two taperedsurfaces, a tight seal is effected between clamping ring 14 and mountingsealing plug 13 with an available annular reinforced filler hole 16.

As shown in FIG. 1, the lower holding clamp constitutes tubes 17 and 18which are mounted in their parallel positions through use'of theeyebolts 19 and 21 through diametrically opposite holes with annularopenings 37 'of'pin 23 from eyebolts 19 and'21.

. 3 in each cylindrical tube. Obviously, the diameter and length oftubes 17 and 18 can be varied according to the size of tubes 4 and 5 andreservoir 6 used. The cloth tubes 3 and 4, as shown in FIG, 2, arethreaded under tube 17 and tube 18 and around and under tube 17 thenunder tube 18. It can be seen that if eyebolt 19 and eyebolt 21 andrespective nuts and 22 are tightened a clamping effect is obtained. Itcan further be seen that if e through use of the pin 23 through the eyesof eyebolt 19 and eyebolt 21. The spring '24 is then secured permanentlyto mounting rope 25 at point A. Suflicient slack or excess amounts ofmounting rope -25 are then left between point A and point B where theoppositeend'of mounting rope 25' is mounted or secured to pin 23 andthis allows the spring to flex or stretch-to a predetermined length ofthe rope but not overstretch and break the spring 24.

Here themountingrope 25 takes the shock'when the a spring 24 has reachedits limits, this action permitting additional pressure to be exertedon'the'whole unit by the livestock and therefore providing a safetymeans to'prevent breakage whereas if no spring 24 were provided the'whole unit would take the initial shock and break." The spring 24 alsoresists back rubbing pressure which permits the device tocon'form to theshape of the livestocks ex ternal part being rubbed and give morerubbingarea.

In FIG. 2 holes 30 and '31 are placed in'pin 23 outside the eyebolt 19and eyebolt 21 for use with conventional cotter keys or retaining pinsto prevent slippage or loss In the modified form of the device shown inFIG. 5 the upper mounting clamp is the same'as the lower mounting clampshown in FIG. 1 with the exception that pin 23 is removed and rope 134is mounted directly to the eyes of eyebolts 152 and 153. Tubes 150 and151 are the same as tubes 117 and 118 of FIGS and tubes 17 and *18' ofFIG. 1 andFIG. 2, In FIG; 5, eyebo1t's'152 and r 153 are the same aseyebolts 19 and 21 and'FIG. 1 and FIGIZ. Tubes 104 and 105 in FIG. 5 andreservoir 106 are the same as tubes 4 and 5 and reservoir 6 of FIG; 1.

Nuts 154"and 5 are the same as nuts 120 and 122 and nuts and 22 of FIG.2. Modified U -bolt 129 replaces eyebolt's 19 and 21 indicated in FIGS.1 and 2 with conventional type washers 138 and 139 to act cylindricaltube 117. I

' What is claimed is:' V 1. In an automatic livestock insecticideapplicator, the

combination comprising:

support means;

. an absorbent tubular fabric secured at an inclined angle between saidsupport means and having an opening at the upper end of said inclinedangle, said fabric being sufliciently porous and therefore adapted'to Iretain and dispense insecticide when rubbed thereagainst by livestock; V.a flexible: reservoir encased within and extending sub- .stantially thelength of said absorbent tubularfabric and having a fill opening at saidopening of said tubular fabric; 7 said fiexible reservoir having atleast one bleede r' hole spaced a predetermined distance from said fillopen- 7 7 ing and from a predetermined normally maintained level ofinsecticide so as to permit issuance of said inseeticide from said'reservoir into communication with said absorbent tubular fabric whensaid applicaas astop for i 7 fabric being sufiiciently porous andtherefore adapted to retain and dispense insecticide when rubbedthereagainst by livestock; 5 a flexible reservoir encased within andextending substantially the length of said absorbent tubular fabric andhaving a fill opening at the opening atthe upper end of said tubularfabric; said flexible reservoir having at least one bleeder hole spaceda predetermined distance from said fill opening and from a predeterminednormally maintained level of insecticide so as to permit issuance ofsaid insecticide from said reservoir into communication with saidabsorbent tubular fabric when said applicator isengaged by the vigorousrubbing'action of said livestock; a clamp mounting means attached to'thelower end of of said support means;

said clamp mounting means constituting two cylindrical tubes extendingtransversely to the tubular fabric and slidably disposed in parallelrelation to each 'other upon bolt member means and adapted to permit thelower end of said tubular fabric tobe looped around both of saidcylindrical tubes, then between 'said cylindrical tubes and said boltmembers'and' ending between a looped portion of said fabric and oneofsaid cylindrical tubes for clamping and seal ing engagement of thetubular fabric. and its lower opening.

3. In an article of manufacture, an automatic livestock insecticideapplicator comprising:

a cloth tube means adapted to retain an insecticide and dispense sameupon rubbing contact by livestock and having one end opening; 7

a flexible reservoir introduced in said cloth tube means through saidend opening and having one open end through which it may be filled withsaid insecticide;

livestock;

and clamp mounting means attached to each end of said cloth tube meansand adapted to secure each an absorbent tubular means adapted to retainand dis-" pense insecticide upon rubbing contact by livestock and havingone end adapted to be opened; 2 V

a flexible reservoir introduced in and extending the length of saidabsorbent tubular means and having an access opening at said opened endofsaid tubular 6 means for receiving insecticidetherethrough;

said flexible reservoir having at least one bleeder hole spaced fromsaid access opening and from a prede V. termined normally maintainedlevel of insecticideso V as to permit issuance of said insecticide fromsaid tubular means when said applicator is engaged by the vigorousrubbing action of livestock;

plicator adaptedto secure and support the latterbe- Ltween supports atany predetermined inclined angle .with the access opening uppermost.

.5..In an article of manufacture,.an automatic live stock insecticideapplication, comprising:

an absorbent tubular means adapted to retain and dis-' 7 of bleederholes spaced from said open end and end, including the sealing of saidopen end of said reservoir into communication with said absorbent andmounting means attached to each end of .said appense insecticide uponrubbing contact by livestock and having an open end;

a clarnpin ring attached to said open end of said tubular means andhaving a tapered circumferential in- 6 a flexible reservoir encasedwithin and extending substantially the length of said tubular fabric andpassing through an opening; a sealing plug for insertion within saidopening of said terior surface; flexible reservoir and having a taperedouter peripha flexible reservoir encased in and extending substaneralsurface conforming to said tapered circumferentially the length of saidtubular means and passing tial interior surface of said clamping ringand outwardly through an opening; adapted for a sliding Wedge fit withrespect thereto, said flexible reservoir having at least one bleederhole said sealing plug having a filler hole through which spaced fromsaid opening and adapted to permit the 10 the reservoir is adapted to befilled with said insectiissuance therefrom of said insecticide to saidabcide, and mounting means for attachment to one sorbent tubular means;of said supports; and a sealing plug for insertion within said openingof said flexible reservoir having at least one bleeder hole saidreservoir and having a tapered outer peripheral spaced a predetermineddistance from said opening surface conforming to said taperedcircumferential and from a predetermined normally maintained levelinterior surface of said clamping ring and adapted of insecticide so asto permit issuance of said insectifor a sliding wedge fit With respectthereto, said sealcide from sa d reservoir into communication with ingplug being provided with means through which said absorbent tubularfabric when said applicator the reservoir is adapted to be filled. isengaged by the vigorous rubbing action of said 6. In an automaticlivestock insecticide applicator relivestock.

siliently secured to supports at an inclined angle, the improvementscomprising:

an absorbent tubular fabric attached to and extending between saidsupports and having an end near the References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS top of said inclined angle adapted to beopened; 2,432,635 Van Ryan Dec. 16, 1947 a clamping ring attached tosaid opened end of said 2,766,726 Dull Oct. 16, 1956 tubular fabric andhaving a tapered circumferential 2,956,543 Kirk Oct. 18, 1960 interiorsurface;

